'Outstanding' Rob Baxter is on Lions coaching radar, admits Warren Gatland

Rob Baxter's lack of international experience would not stand in the way of the Exeter Chiefs director of rugby being part of the British and Irish Lions coaching staff in South Africa next year, Lions head coach Warren Gatland has revealed.

Baxter recently led Exeter to a Gallagher Premiership and Heineken Champions Cup double, a decade on from the club's first-ever season in the English top flight, capping off a remarkable rise for the Devon club.

While admitting that it was "easier" for the Lions to work with international coaches, Gatland was clear in stating that he would not rule out any club coaches and was full of praise for Baxter's work with Exeter.

“I don’t know Rob that well but what he has achieved in the game is outstanding," Gatland said. "From my point of view you don’t discount club coaches but it is a hell of a lot easier with international coaches. The club coaches in terms of them being available is OK but there are other things in terms of selection meetings on the way. You have just got to manage around that. We haven’t finalised the group but I admire incredibly what he has achieved as a coach over a number of years with Exeter."

Gatland added that he remained positive over the prospect of supporters travelling to South Africa next summer to follow the Lions, despite the rising number of Covid-19 cases across the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The tour remains set to go ahead in July next year, with the Lions this week unveiling their new jersey ahead of the series with world champions South Africa. Gatland added that a tour without thousands of Lions supporters following the side would be disastrous.

"It would be difficult to do that but we are planning, with everyone talking about a vaccine and stuff, everything is going to go ahead with full crowds," Gatland said.

"If that is not the case then we have to be adaptable and we have to make other arrangements. I am looking at the positives, the Lions are going ahead and we are taking 30,000 Lions supporters with us – a sea of red everywhere – and packed stadiums. If things change then we adapt – I am not thinking about the doom and gloom of Covid-19 still being around and playing at empty stadiums. That would be a disaster for the Lions and I am thinking about the positives and the positives are full stadia and everything going ahead.“

Gatland also added how pleased he was to see his former Wales assistant coach Rob Howley back in the international game.

Howley was sent home from the Wales camp on the eve of last year's Rugby World Cup in Japan after it was revealed that he had been betting on rugby matches, some involving Wales, over a four-year period. He was subsequently banned for 18 months, half of which was suspended, and has now linked up with former Wales team-mate Kingsley Jones in Canada on a three-year contract.

Howley was Gatland's assistant coach throughout the New Zealander's time in charge of Wales and part of the Grand Slam triumphs in 2008, 2012 and 2019, while also twice taking temporary charge of Wales when Gatland was away coaching the Lions.

"He is a great mate and I am delighted he got the job with Canada," Gatland said. "It is great for him he is back in the game, he gets a chance to re-establish himself with Canada until the next World Cup. He is an outstanding coach and he understands mistakes have been made and hopefully he does really well."